Dr A Nshoga addressing 9th anniversary of Rengma Selo Zi at K. Station under Tseminyu district on May 4. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 5
Today, Rengmas are divided and living in two separate states: Nagaland and Assam, ruled under different administrative heads.
This was stated by Dr A. Nshoga, Director, Higher Education while addressing the 9th anniversary cum 3rd general assembly 2024 of Rengma Selo Zi (RSZ) as the special guest at K. Station under Tseminyu district on May 4.
The smaller population with a larger land is now in Assam, whereas the larger population with small land is in Nagaland, he said.
“We are belonging to the same stocks and family but living in divided house. Who is responsible to restore the Rengmas in situ under one administrative unit? Is it the British or the American? The responsible is you and me who are living with the blood of the Rengmas. There is no black and white among the Rengmas under heaven. Rengmas are Rengmas- whether he lives in India or America, Dr Nshoga said. He added that division of the Rengmas into separate states are neither “our making nor our forefathers but the British Government for their selfish interests.”
During the pre-British period, he said, the Rengma Nagas had one of the largest populations among the Nagas with vast tract of land occupying more than 9000 square kilometres known as the "Rengma Hills" created by the British Govt, vide Political Proceedings 79 & 80 on 18th April,1841, long before the creation of the Naga Hills District in 1866.”
However, due to the transfer of its land and people to the adjoining Districts of Assam in 1898 and subsequent reorganisation of North-Eastern states after independent India, we are now left with just 256 Sq km for Tseminyu District and 8724 Sq km for Rengma Hills in Assam, he said.
He said that the Rengma Nagas were then placed under different administrative unit on the basis of 'divide and rule policy' of the British India, adding that the chunks of land in the Rengma Hills which comprised of more than 34 times the size of the present Tseminyu District was transferred into Assam for administrative convenience of the British Raj without the consent and knowledge of the Rengma Nagas.
“By 1866, the British Govt created the Naga Hills District with the amalgamation of the Rengma Hills (8724 Sq km) and the Naga Hills (1300 Sq km) and made Samagudting as its administrative HQ. From 1866 till December, 1898, the Rengma Hills was administered under Naga Hills District and the last revenue was submitted in Kohima and the amount came to Rs 872. However, from January, 1899 onwards, the Rengma Nagas were then divided into two administrative unit- smaller portion (Tseminyu) was administered under Naga Hills district and the larger portion of the Rengma Hills was transferred out to adjacent districts of Assam and administered under Nowgong and Sibsagar Districts. The revenue of Central Rengmas were submitted in Naga Hills, while the Rengma Hills were submitted into the treasury of Nowgong and Sibsagar Districts of Assam,” he said.
With these historical and political development in the past, Dr Nshoga said the Rengmas are now living in Assam and Nagaland, much against the wishes of the people not by choice but by compulsion, suppression, oppression and subjugation.
“We had vast tract of traditional land and separate geographical identity as "Rengma Hills" but today we have become lost people and tribe,” he said.
According to the 9th Point Agreement signed in Kohima between 26-28 June, 1947, under serial No 6 on boundaries, it is said that present administrative divisions should be modified so as (1) to bring back into the Naga Hills district all the forests transferred to the Sibsagar and Nowgong Districts in the past, and (2) to bring under one unified administrative unit as far as possible all Nagas. All the areas so included would be within the scope of the present proposed agreement. No areas should be transferred out of the Naga Hills without the consent of the Naga Council. Again, this agreement was reiterated in the 16th point Agreement signed on 26th July, 1960 under clause 12 & 13, he stated.
Dr Nshoga said the Rengmas are one of the biggest victims and losers for the failure of such two Agreements. He felt that the Rengma legislators have to take proactive role in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly debates and discussions, being the largest stakeholders.
